(MediaBuyerPlanner) The GLCensus Partners study, performed by OpusComm Group and Syracuse University, released Wednesday, surveyed 5,000 gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) respondents and reported on the importance of targeting gays in advertising, writes Media Life.
Of the gay community, Jeffrey S. Garber, president and co-founder of the OpusComm Group, said, “From a media standpoint, I think it’s a community that’s very media oriented as far as what they like.”
According to Garber, “People think it’s just about gays watching images of themselves. The answer is yes they want to, but it doesn’t mean the programming has to be all gay-oriented.”
Gay content definitely influences gay viewers’ TV watching habits. “They want a glimpse into how other gays live, and they want positive representation so when friends and colleagues see it, they have a better understanding of who they are,” said Garber.
Though magazine preferences differed between gay men and women, Consumer Reports was among each gender’s top ten picks. This falls in line with the theory that the gay community does more product research prior to purchasing, with quality being the number one factor.
“News is important on TV and print for the GLBT community. There isn’t a day that goes by without legislation debate about their rights,” said Garber. The New York Times is the top national newspaper, as 15 percent of respondents preferred it.
Marketers have a better chance of appealing to the gay market if they use gay-themes in ads placed within gay media.
